Stranger in the Night
by Dreamingsinger
Summary: A farming couple find a young drow in their garden. She has come for a reason, but why. Did she come to live... or to die?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey to all my readers. I am working on this new story now, because I can't seem to ever be able to devote all of my writing energy to one piece at a time. I have not by any means given on "A Bard's Tale." That story will get finished along with this one. I hope that Stranger in the night will turn out quite different from my other posting. **

**Author's note; I don't know all that much about D&D yet. Not as much as some of the writers here do. If I get any important details wrong, please don't hesitate to let me know, and I will try to fix my mistake. Please read and review, and please be nice to me.**

**Disclaimer; I don't own D&D. I only own the characters of my writing.**

The Stranger in the Night.

"I can't believe this weather," Brenda Swiftfoot muttered as she closed the door of the tiny farmhouse behind her, and stepped into the garden. "It's as humid as a... God only knows what out here again tonight." She picked up her old watering can, and filled it with water from one of the four large wooden rain barrels beside the house. She swept a stray lock of her graying brown hair behind her ear, and began to pour a stream of water over her vegetable garden. She felt a leaf of lettuce between two fingers, and told herself that it was growing nicely. She knew that there would be a whole winter's worth of vegetables for herself, and her husband, Alfred, as well as a good bit of money from the market on the rest, in the fall. She looked out over Alfred's mid sized field of crops, and felt pride in her husband's success with the land. They were only commoner class, but they always had a little bit more than enough. Her three sons had lived a decent life on that farm, until each of them had left home, one by one.

Brenda fanned her face with her hand, as she again grumbled about the humidity. She looked again over the field, and then let her eyes travel to the grass beside the house. There was movement behind the barrels. She watched for a moment more, and saw nothing.

"I'm getting old," she muttered, shaking her head. "Surely only an old fool would see something moving out here." She turned to go inside, and as she did, a shadow crossed the yard, at the edge of her field of vision. Brenda spun around quickly, and saw a platinum haired dark shadow of a woman run into the garden. She stood still and watched for a moment, debating with herself what she should do. The woman who was acting strangely feeling the grass with her bare feet, while waving her arms through the air, was not very tall, and had elven features. Realization stuck the farmers wife at that moment, and she put her hands to her chest, trembling.

"Dear God," she whispered into the night. "a drow in the garden. What should I do?"

**I think I will just leave it hanging here for now, but I will update soon. Please review and tell me what you think so far.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all. I know that the last chapter was a little on the short side. I will try to make this one longer.**

Chapter two

Alfred was suddenly out the door, and standing behind his wife. Presumably, he had come out to check on the garden, and to spend some time outside with Brenda, enjoying the night air. Brenda held her hand up to signal him to be silent, and he stared in disbelief in the direction she was pointing.

"Bren," he whispered, "don't make any sudden moves. She could attack us with magic. Go slowly toward the door."

Brenda nodded, her heart racing, and began to move slowly as possible toward the house. From the open doorway, she watched the young dark elf, as she continued to rub her bare feet on the grass. Soon, she simply sat down on the ground, and looked up at the moon. Brenda was puzzled by this behavior. She wondered what on earth the young woman doing in her yard, and was thankful that she had not yet made any trouble. She took notice of the girl's clothing now. She was dressed in torn, dark blue priestess robes, which looked quite black in the darkness. Underneath, Brenda could see the hint of a white blouse. Her platinum hair hung loosely to just past her shoulders, and was tangled, and covered in dry grass. Alfred began to inch carefully toward the door, and when he reached it, he pulled his wife inside and shut it quietly.

"Who do you think she was?" Brenda asked as she climbed into bed beside her husband.

"I have no idea," Alfred replied. "All I know is that I am glad she didn't attack us. The drow have been known to kill just for the sake of killing. We were lucky that this one was not in an angry mood."

"Do you think she even saw us?"

"I don't doubt it. Even though we tried to be quiet, she still looked right at me, as I was on my way inside." Alfred, tired from a long day in the field, rolled over and was soon sound asleep. Brenda however was not able to unwind after the near encounter in the garden. I spite of what her husband said, and what she had grown up believing, girl outside did not seem to be consumed with hatred for everything above ground. She did not seem wicked and evil. Brenda thought more and more about it, an thought that she looked curious and innocent... maybe even somewhat afraid. After many hours of tossing and turning, she finally went to sleep, just as the sun was coming up.

Brenda and Alfred were just sitting down to their supper that evening, when there came a crash from outside.

"What in the world," Alfred muttered, getting up from the table. "It sounds like someone fell out of a tree of something."

"That is exactly what happened," Brenda answered, after pulling open the wooden shutters, and looking out to see a few broken branches of the oak side, a over the ground.

Alfred, who was nearly at the door, stopped in his tracks saying, "who would be climbing up our tree anyway? This is outrageous."

"Three guesses," Brenda said, looking to see a flash of silvery hair and blue clothing leap over the fence and into the field.

"Her again?" Alfred exclaimed. Brenda had something on her mind, and she voiced it slowly.

"I all my years, I have only seen about three drow, not including the one outside now. Therefore I wonder if there is even a drow city anywhere near here. You would think that if they lived underground nearby that there would be more..."

"To my knowledge there is nothing like that near here," Alfred answered.

"That is just what I thought," Brenda said, "which leaves me to wonder why she is here. She must be very far from home."

"She could very well be on a quest," Alfred explained.

"True," Brenda replied. "Still though, something about this bothers me. Something I cannot put into words."

"Of course something bothers you," Alfred said, trying to be understanding. "I think that you fear the possible outcome of her presence here. Where there is one drow, soon there could be twenty. Don't worry Bren. I won't let anything happen to us."

"It isn't that," Brenda answered. "I am not afraid of her people. I don't think that she has any people."

"What?"

"Think about it Alfred. The torn clothes, the fact that she has gotten so close to humans... If she were on a quest, would she not be wearing more suitable travelers clothes? It seems to me that she left the underground in a hurry. Would a woman even usually go out on a quest. I have always heard that their females are much more valued then the males. Why would a woman, a young one at that, be out alone, this far from her home?"

"Those are all valid points Bren," Alfred said. "However, it makes little difference. The drow mean nothing to us. I simply want to find a way to chase her of my farm before someone around here gets really scared."

"Alfred, I think we should try to help her."

"I most certainly won't, and I forbid you to either."

"I hardly think you have the power to tell me I..."

"I am a man" Alfred said, more sharply than he intended. "As my wife, you are you obey me."

"Since when was it wrong to help someone who seems to be in need?" Brenda asked, slightly shaken by her husband's display of manhood.

"We will not help her, and that is that," Alfred answered sitting down to finish his supper. "Besides, we cannot even be sure she needs or wants our help. The drow are very proud. Even if she was in real trouble, she would likely rather die than except help from us humans. I am sorry that I spoke to you like that but please, trust me on this. We are better off not getting into this situation."

"Alright," said Brenda simply, but she had no intention of being the obedient wife this time. That night, while Alfred lay sleeping, she crept out into a darkened yard with a plate of supper leftovers, and set it down by the rain barrels. She chose to ignore the sound of rustling leaves coming from the big oak tree by the fence.

In the morning Alfred left to deliver good to a town six days away by horse drawn wagon. Brenda knew that he would be gone for almost three week, and she knew that she would miss him terribly, but she busied herself with the thought of helping the night visitor. She saw no sign of her during the day, which did not surprise her, but at night, she heard footsteps outside again. She crept outside with another plate of food, and picked up the old one, which was empty.

"Hello," she called into the quiet, still darkness. No sound at all answered back, except for the far away sound of an owl. Disappointed that the visitor could not be found, she returned to the house. She could swear that in the night, she again heard someone in the tree but it was very late. She knew she would just have to look harder the next evening.

Brenda was not disappointed. The next evening's sunset came, and she stepped outside... to see someone flattened against a thick branch, high up in the tree. She picked up the blue priestess robe, which had been thrown to the ground, and inspected the tattered fabric. She could tell that it had once been a beautiful garment, and she was determined to fix it for the young drow. She held up a plate of that nights leftover chicken and potatoes, and looked up at the shaking, frightened girl in the tree.

"Hello," Brenda called, "please come on down. I brought you something to eat." She saw the girl pull herself quickly to the next branch, trying to escape up the tree. The branch, too weak to take her weight, snapped and sent the drow falling ten feet to the ground. She landed with a hard thump on her back, and sat herself up, to stare menacingly at Brenda.

"Back away," she said angrily. "I will hurt you if I have to."

Brenda saw that the girl's hand was raised, ready to cast a spell, but she also heard the fear in her shaky voice. This girl was not out to hurt anyone. She was just trying to protect herself.

"You don't want to hurt me," she said kneeling on the grass a fair distance away. "I came out here because I have been worried about you. Why are you here. You must be so far from home."

"Go away. I don't need or want you to help me. I don't want you worry or your pity," the drow said, standing up, and brushing leaves off her clothes. Brenda noted that her common was not very good, yet was still understandable.

"How can I go away," Brenda said, trying to use a little humor. "This is my yard, and my house. I am not leaving."

"Then go back inside."

"Nope. My yard. I'm not leaving."

"Go away," the drow shrieked, as Brenda got up and stepped closer to her. Brenda saw that the poor thing was terrified, and was also ready to cast magic again.

"I don't believe you will hurt me," she said. "I don't believe you have it in you to do it."

"Please, leave," the drow said, lowering her hand, and looking about to burst into tears. She took a step back, toward the fence.

"Alright," Brenda said, "you win. "I am going inside." She put the plate down, and walked inside with the robe, still planning to fix it."

The next morning brought heavy gray clouds, and by sunset the rain was pouring down in huge, heavy droplets. Brenda worried when she saw the night visitor's shadow move across the yard. She worried that the poor girl had no shelter from the rain. It occurred to her to offer more help, and she went outside. She found the small young woman huddled under the partial shelter of the rain gutter, with her hands over her head, trying to stay as dry as possible.

"Ready to be friends now?" Brenda asked, extending her hand to her.

"Wh... what do..." the girl muttered. Brenda was surprised when the girl took her hand let let herself be pulled to her feet. They stood for a moment, rain pouring down on them, each looking into the eyes of a known enemy race, seeking signs of friendship from each other.

"Come with me," Brenda said finally. "We will both catch our deaths of cold out here. The rain is getting worse."

Brenda entered the farmhouse leading the hesitant drow by the hand gently. The drow raised a dark grayish hand to shield her eyes from the light of the oil lamps in the living room. She blinked several times, as she tried to make her eyes adjust to light.

"Make yourself at home," Brenda said, as she made a fire, in the fireplace. She then got up to go to the kitchen. "I will return shortly." Before leaving though, she pulled a blanket down from the back of a chair, and put it over the girl's shoulders.

Brenda went to the kitchen and boiled water to make tea, then she put some bread with jam and butter on a plate, and went back to find her guest sitting surprisingly content in front of the fire, watching the flames dance before her eyes. She had pulled the blanket tighter around herself, and looked up when Brenda offered her one of the teacups.

"Thank you," she said, in a surprisingly quiet voice. She looked around the room a little bit, in curiosity after Brenda dimmed the lamps a little.

"Will the light always bother your eyes?" she asked, seating herself beside the girl.

"No, I don't believe so," the drow answered. "I think my eyes will begin to get used to the lighting on the surface. I think they have a bit already. When I first came above ground, it was daylight, and I could not see a thing."

"How long have you been above ground now?"

"Hard to say. I have begun to lose count of the days. It has been less than a month I am sure, but quite a bit more than a week."

"Hmmm," Brenda said. "Do you miss home? Wherever that may be."

"I do miss it," the drow girl answered thoughtfully. I mean, I miss parts of being there. There are some things I could never miss, and that is why... Never mind. I cannot say anything more about it. It would put us both in... Never mind."

Brenda decided to not push it with the girl, who was obviously afraid of something, and was not willing to say what frightened so much. She decided instead to change the subject. "So, what is it that you were doing in my tree last night, and the times before that?" The drow looked at the floor, seemingly embarrassed, and Brenda tried to prompt her to tell her, promising not to be angry.

"I saw the moon on the first night I was on the surface," the drow explained. "It looked so big and bright,and so close. I recalled hearing stories of the moon in childhood, so I knew a little about what it was, but not much. I climbed up the tree several times trying to reach up and touch it. I thought that if I could just reach it, I could be the first drow to say I touched the surface world's night light."

"No one can touch the moon dear," Brenda said. "It is too far away. It may look like you can almost reach it if you just climb high enough, but you can never climb that high."

"You mean, no matter how high I went, it would always be above the reach of my arms?" the drow asked with surprising innocence.

"That is exactly what I mean," Brenda said, holding out a hand in welcome. "My name is Brenda, by the way. What is your name?"

"You can call me Shen," the young drow answered finally, after a long moment's hesitation.

"Well Shen it is a great pleasure to meet you," Brenda said. She leaned over suddenly and hugged the drow tightly against her body. She was unsure of what would happen next, but she soon felt the girl's body stiffen in fear.

"Come along," Brenda said letting go of her. "I will show you to the guest bedroom. It is not much, but you should be quite cozy in there."

**Well, I did it. Chapter two, and this one is much longer. I look forward to your reviews. I know that a lot of people on here have done drow stories, but give this a chance. I will try to make it a good one.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope readers are still into this story. I will just keep working away at it. Now... on to chapter three.**

Chapter three.

Brenda sat in the living room watching the fire for a long while after Shen went to bed. She thought about the drow, and how afraid she had become at being hugged. She wondered again what she was doing on the farm, and was worried about her. She sensed that the girl had been hurt somehow, either emotionally or physically. She also knew without a doubt that Shen was not like most other drow. This young woman, from a race that looked at life as something so unimportant that they would kill their own people at times without a passing thought, had not a wicked bone in her body. She could sense in Shen's heart, a spirit of love and compassion. There was around her a feeling of caring, and sadness for her life, that seemed quite undrowlike. After sitting up for a while longer, Brenda got up, put out the fire, and went off to bed.

She woke up early in the morning, just before the sun came up. She gasped in surprise to find Shen sitting in the middle of the living room floor, her dark skin contrasting well with the darkness in the room, and her silvery hair emitting a soft glow from the moonlight seeping in through the open shutters. Her long thin legs were crossed in front of her, and her hands rested on her lap. Brenda watched the drow as she sat with her head bowed, and her body unmoving for a few minutes, before she got up to make her morning tea.

"Shen," she said quietly, as she tapped the girl gently on the shoulder upon returning to the room. Shen's head shoot upright in surprise, and she let out a small gasp of shock.

"Good morning Brenda," she said in her quiet, timid voice. "I am sorry to not be in bed where you wanted me. I could not rest in there. I came out her to sit where it was darker."

"That's alright," Brenda said, handing her a cup of hot tea. "Yes that back bedroom does not have shutters and it can get very bright when the moon is full. I will try to fix it up a little to block the light a bit more in there."

"Thank you," Shen said.

"I need to speak with you," Brenda said, seating herself in her chair.

"What about?" the drow asked, looking a little worried.

"I need to ask you what you are doing here on the surface, and why you left home. I also want to know what you seem so afraid of"

"I can't talk about that," Shen said.

"You can trust me, Shen. I will keep your secrets safe."

"It is not that I don't trust you. I just can't talk about it."

"Shen please... I..."

"I can't tell you, Brenda. This is my problem. If I told you, I could have put you in danger because you know something. Please don't ask me to tell you."

Brenda could see the fear building in Shen's voice and body.

"Alright," she said. "I won't ask again."

"By the way," she said standing up, "I fixed your robe as well as I could. I found it laying on the ground, and decided to repair it for you." She held out the repaired garment, and Shen took it from her, feeling the fabric between two fingers.

"Thank you, Brenda," she said. "You done a good job of fixing this, and I will always keep it as a memory of what I once was, but I will never need it again."

"Oh?"

"I was meant to be a priestess," Shen said, "only because I am a female. I no longer want to be. I can't live that life. I don't want to be a priestess of darkness."

"As a drow woman, do you have a choice?"

"Not much of one," Shen answered. "I am sorry. I can say no more." She turned away and looked toward the window at the rising sun through the now opened shutters.

Shen began to adjust well to life on the farm. Within days, she was rising with the sun and going out to collect eggs from the chickens, and milk the three cows. Brenda showed her only once how the churn butter from cream, before she was doing it perfectly. Brenda taught her to sew clothes, and how to knit, and soon she set about making a new dress for herself out of Brenda's many yards of fabric, left over from years worth of sewing projects. One fine summer day, the two of them took a walk across the field, and down the the road. They walked a short ways into the woods, to a clearing that Brenda had known of and loved for many years. She sat on the ground and watched, as Shen chased a butterfly with childlike wonder. Brenda knew that there were so many things that Shen had missed, growing up in the dark deaths of the earth. She unpacked a lunch that she had packed for them, and Shen came over to eat, still watching the butterflies, as they flew around the clearing.

"Look," she cried suddenly, dropping her sandwich to her lap. "A bird, Brenda. I have heard of such things, but I've never seen them."

Brenda pulled out some stale bread which she had brought to feed the birds, and broke it into small pieces, encouraging Shen to do the same. They threw it out in front of them, and Shen laughed in delighted amazement, as a few small sparrows came to eat the crumbs.

"You have never seen a bird before?" Brenda asked. "You have been above ground for a while now."

"Never close enough to really see," the drow answered. "I have only seen them high in the sky, too high up to notice."

After the lovely day the two of them had had in the meadow that day, Brenda was greatly surprised to be awoken late in the night by the sound of Shen sobbing loudly in the living room. She sat herself up on her bad, and listened for a moment to the high pitched, crying. Soon, she got up and went out to the living room, to find Shen siting in the corner against a wall, her small body bent over into a a little ball, with her knees to her chest, and her head on her knees. Brenda sat on the wooden floor beside her and pulled her toward her body. At first Shen tensed and pulled away, but soon she let herself be hugged. She simply sat against Brenda, sobbing uncontrollably.

"What is wrong?" Brenda asked.

"I can't tell you," the drow sobbed. "I can't put you in that kind of danger."

"Shen, please. You have to tell someone. Maybe I can help you."

"No one can help me."

"Maybe I can and maybe I can't but I can at least listen. Does this have anything to do with why you ran from your home?"

Shen nodded her head slowly.

"The cleric killed my brothers," she said suddenly, through tears. "She killed my younger brother because he spoke out against the raiding and killing of the elves that lived above ground, near our city. Then she killed the older one the next day because she thought that he may have told the young one to speak out. My people are pure evil. The clerics and the nobles and anyone who has the power will kill because they can. They kill for their own gain."

"And that's why you ran?"

"Not exactly. I ran because the cleric told me to kill an elf."

"What? That's awful."

"He was a prisoner," Shen explained, her tears almost having subsided to a few odd sniffles. "He had been captured from the camp we raided, and tortured for nearly two months by the clerics, and the fighters. I was always made to help them do it, but I never did, the the head cleric knew it. I told her one day that he was a living person, and that I would not inflict pain upon him. She then told me that because of my disobedience I would now be the one to kill the prisoner. She said that if I did not do it, then she would kill me. She then showed me the body of my dead brother, and I knew that she had killed him for his disobedience. I did not want to kill the elf, but I did not want to die either..."

"What did you do?" Brenda prompted slowly.

"I began to run," Shen said. "I ran from the cleric, and out into the passageway. I never looked back once until I came to the passage leading to the surface world. I climbed to the surface and kept running until I could run no more I did not know where I was. After a night's rest, I ran farther in the same direction, and soon decided that I was too far to be found. I wondered around for a good number of day, until I came to your husband's farm, which looked like a good place to hide out."

Brenda stared straight ahead at the darkened room, unsure what to make of all this new information. This young woman had indeed lived though a very fearful life. She preyed silently to her god, for direction, and then led Shen off to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four.

Brenda looked out the window in the morning to see an armored paladin tying up her horse out side the farmhouse. She moved away from the window unsure what to do. She could easily guess that she had come to ask questions about the drow in her home.

"Hello," the paladin called, knocking loudly on the door. Shen grew fearful, and dropped her sewing to her lap, and Brenda turned to her quickly.

"Don't worry," Brenda said quickly. "It is not against the law to have a guest in one's home, even if that guest is a drow. I'll go and answer the door."

"I am Aliemina Suresong, of the district order of the paladins," said the woman at the door. She stood straight, and was quite tall, with long dark hair in a long braid, hung over one shoulder. Her light armor shone bright in the sun, and she took her metal helmet off, and held it in one hand. "I am here about a drow that has been sighted by several people in this area."

"Oh?" said Brenda, unsure what to say.

"I have inquired at other farms nearby," the paladin continued. "It seems that most folks I talked to either had no idea about any drow, or they said that she seems to be staying in your house. Can you tell me truthfully if this information is correct?"

"It is not a crime," Brenda said, sounding slightly more defensive than she had intended.

"No, It is not a crime," the paladin answered, "in fact, taking in a person in need is an honorable thing to do indeed. However, this is a drow; a race known for killing large numbers of innocents, and as a paladin, it is my sworn duty to protect the innocent. I can not just have a drow running around in the midst of the local farmers, now can I?"

"Shen is not a killer," Brenda said, become annoyed. "She ran from home to avoid... I can't tell you. I promised her that I would tell no one."

"Well, someone here had better tell me something soon," said Aliemina. "Let me talk with this drow? I will get to the bottom of this, so help me god."

"I don't think that she will talk with you," Brenda said. "Shen is very fearful, and shy. Please, don't make her do that."

"No one has given me much choice," the paladin answered. "Please go and call her out."

"Fine," Brenda replied. "I will do my best. Please come in, and sit down in the living room." She walked away into the hall, muttering to herself under her breath. It took a good while, but Brenda soon returned, leading a very nervous young drow woman by the arm. The paladin eyed Shen with bitterness, and Shen stared her down for several seconds, before looking at the ground in fear.

The paladin interrogated the drow for quite a long time, asking her everything she could about where she had come from, and why she was there on the farm. Shen, for the most part, just looked at the floor and refused to answer. By the end of the interview, the poor young lady was trembling in fear, and crying uncontrollably.

"Enough of this," Brenda said to the paladin. "It is high time I showed you out."

"I have heard enough," said Aliemina.

"Good," Brenda told her, "because, as I said, you are leaving now. This has gone too far. You have pushed her too hard to say things that she can't say."

"Before I leave, I would like to announce my decision," the paladin said. "If I could just speak with you privately for a few moments I will..."

"Not a slim chance of that," Brenda said, pulling Shen into her arms. "Anything you have to say to me, you can say it in her presence." The paladin looked quite annoyed for a moment before speaking again."

"Fine. I will say it to both of you. I came here looking for a reason to chase that drow off your farm. I can't for the life of me find one single reason. You have gotten lucky. I can do nothing about this at the moment... but you drow, had better watch your step around here. One mistake and you are outta here. Good day." She put her helmet back into her head, and let Brenda show her to the door.

"Protecting the innocent I'm sure," Brenda mumbled sarcastically, as she walked back to Shen. "She is just being nothing but a busybody. I ought to report her actions to the paladin order."

"Will I be allowed to stay then?" Shen asked. Brenda nodded.

"She can't do anything about it. You haven't done anything wrong."

"When is your husband coming back home?" Shen asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"In about six days now," Brenda replied.

"What are you going to tell him... about me? I know that he didn't want you to help me. I heard him forbid you one night to help."

"You have better hearing than I thought," Brenda replied. "Yes, he did forbid me. I will tell him about you when he gets back. He will understand everything when he meets you, and be alright with it. He loves to help people as much as I do?"

Brenda had a second encounter with the paladin the fallowing morning as she was out tending to her garden. She was pulling weeds from her tomato plants, when she looked up the see Aliemina ride up on her horse.

"What can I do for you this morning?" she asked with faked friendliness.

"I'm just coming by to see to it that there is no trouble from that drow," the paladin answered sweetly. "I will be by a lot now that she is here. I need to protect the innocents around here. Good day. If you ever have need of help, wait for me to come, and let me know." She rode off, and Brenda began to pull up the weeds a little roughly, in anger, muttering to herself.

Brenda was awoken late that night from a deep sleep. She heard the door to the house shut with a firm bang, fallowed by heavy footsteps across the kitchen, then the sound of something heavy falling to the floor. She heard a woman, presumably Shen, scream with fright in the living room.

"Son of a..." a man yelled, and Shen screeched a high pitched shriek, fallowed by the sound of her little running feet.

"I am going to god darn well kill you!" the man bellowed, and Brenda heard the sound of him grabbing one of her kitchen knives from a cupboard.

"Get out," Shen screamed.

"Get out?" the man yelled loudly. "Oh, you think so? This is MY house."

"Alfred," Brenda muttered in sudden realization. She figured out that he must have got home a few days early, and more than a little drunk.

"He must think Shen got in here just now to hurt me," she muttered jumping out of bed to go and fix the problem. She clumsily fell over a nightstand in the dark, and fell to her knees. Shen screeched again, and then nothing but silence was heard for a moment, before the sound of glass breaking against a wall.

"Darn it all to heck," Alfred was shouting in the middle of the living room, when Brenda finally came out, rubbing her knee that she had banged after tripping over.

"Alfred," she said loudly from the edge of the hallway.

"I... I am..." Shen stammered, backing away slowly.

"Don't move Bren," Alfred called back, stumbling drunkenly. "That awful drow has gotten in here somehow. I'll take care of this very quickly." He picked up the broken handle of an old ax and swung it around wildly, knocking over his wife's iron cooking pots from on top of a shelf. They hit the wooden floor making a great deal of noise. "I will get you now, you rotten little, no good..."

"Alfred, no," Brenda yelled, "don't do..." She took a quick step forward.

"Bren, stay back," Alfred said loudly, quickly turning on two oil lamps, evidently trying to momentarily blind Shen.

"Let's see how well you can move about in the light, eh? You good for nothing..."

He advanced toward the drow, who had flattened herself against the wall shaking, as he held the knife up in the air, evidently ready to attack her. Brenda was momentarily filled with horror, before Shen suddenly cast a globe of darkness on the room. She could not see a thing in the pitch blackness. Apparently neither could Alfred. Brenda heard him crash against a wall, cursing madly. Brenda felt a trembling body flatten itself against her in the darkness, and she put her arms around the small young woman. Shen was shaking, and on the verge of tears.

"Shen," Brenda said. "Can you get rid of the darkness please?" The drow complied, and soon the lighted oil lamps shone again in the room.

"What on God's green earth?" Alfred demanded, turning around to see the drow with his wife. "Brenda, please explain why you are protecting this little..."

"Alfred, this is Shen. I took her in, trying to help her after you left. Shen, this is my husband, Alfred," Brenda explained, looking in disgust at the ruins of the living room.

"Go up to bed," she told her husband. "You are drunk out of your tree. You almost hurt Shen, and look at this mess."

"Of course I nearly hurt her," Alfred yelled. "It isn't every day that I come home from a long trip, and find a drow in my house. I thought she had broken in to kill us."

"You could have let her explain herself," Brenda told him. "She was trying to talk to you before you tried to hit her with an ax."

"I was not about to hear any explanations from one of her kind, Brenda."

"Alfred!"

"Don't you go talking back to me. I forbade you to help that little beast. What are you doing disobeying my request?"

"How dare you... Shen is not a beast. You don't understand, and you never will. You apologize to her this instant."

"I will not!"

"Well, you have to say something. Honestly, what has gotten into you lately. You are acting completely... completely..."

"Completely what, Brenda?"

"Like a complete barbarian," Brenda yelled, as Shen ran from the room, and hurried into the hallway, making for the back door.

"How dare you!" Alfred roared, slamming his fist against the wall.

"How dare I what? Speak the truth? Care for someone the world turned it's back on. Just go to bed, before you pass out."

"This isn't over," Alfred muttered, on his way to bed.

"Yeah yeah," Brenda mumbled, as she stepped outside to find Shen.

She found her huddled under the low hanging branches of a willow tree, near the fence. She was looking up at the nearly rising sun, and crying. Brenda crawled under the tree beside her, and She moved closer, to be hugged.

"I wish I was your daughter," she said suddenly.

"Why," Brenda asked, greatly surprised by the comment.

"Because my own mother never protected me, and you do."

"Your mother didn't protect you?" Brenda asked, trying to understand. Shen shook her head.

"When, many times in my childhood, I was beaten by the clerics, mother never cared much. She said that I should learn the ways of the drow, so they would stop beating me, and that was that. She never knew that I could not do what was asked of me, because I would hate myself if I did."

"You are so different from your people," Brenda said. "You have so much love in your heart."

"I want to be different from them," Shen said. "I don't want to live like they do. Killing for gain, and pleasure, getting rid of all those who stand in my way. I have always wished I was human, or even an elf. I don't like me much."

"Oh Shen," said Brenda. "Always love who you are, and what you are. One day the world will love you for just being you."

"I don't think so at all," Shen replied. "People see me, and fear me, just for what I am. That paladin doesn't trust me at all, and your husband just tried to kill me."

"They don't know you like I do," Brenda answered. "We should be in bed. It is almost time to get up again."

**Well, one more down, a few more to go. I was trying in this chapter to write in both some humor, and some seriousness. Please don't think that Shen is too weak, to too timid. I made her that way on purpose, wanting to be much different from most other drow. As always, your reviews are most welcomed, and encouraged. I will try to get the next chapter up soon.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry that I have been away for so long, and have not posted anything new. I have been out of town, and had no computer access. I am back for a couple of weeks, before I take off again for another week. I live in two places right now, in two neighboring towns because my boyfriend and I can't decide whose house we will move into full time. We both live in both places. Anyway... Someone sent a review implying that Shen seemed like a Drizzt copy. I assure you that I did not intend this. He is a cool character but I do not want to create his female counterpart.**

**Also, in this chapter, I intend to write a fight scene, and I apologize in advance if I write something wrong. I don't know very much about combat.**

**Thank you for your helpful reviews and please continue to read and review.**

Chapter Five.

Alfred dug his old shovel into the soft dirt, and lifted up a shovelful of rich black dirt, and large potatoes. He took the potato plant by the leaves and shook the dirt to the ground, before tossing the now looses vegetables into his wooden cart. He looked up at the blazing summer sun, and determined that it was now mid afternoon. He dug the shovel into the ground once again, and looked toward the house. Shen was seated on a patch of grass at the edge of the field, dressed in an old blue dress that had belonged to Brenda in her younger days. It was much too big on the tiny framed drow, who was no more than four feet, eight inches tall.. The sleeves hung past her hands, and the skirt covered her feet. She squinted her eyes as she looked across the field at Alfred.

He dug up more potatoes,and did not see her get onto her feet, and walk into the field.

"May I help you," she asked him, in her timid voice.

"I don't really need help," Alfred said. "Thank you for the offer, but farming is really more of men's work."

"I could do that," Shen insisted, as Alfred took his straw hat of his gray haired head, and used it to fan himself for a moment. Alfred handed her the shovel and let her dig for awhile, wanting her to quickly give up on the thought of doing mens work, and return to the kitchen, where he felt a woman belonged. Shen dug quickly, and with great enthusiasm and energy. She through the potatoes into the cart, and dug for more.

"You're a better farm worker than I thought you would be," Alfred admitted, as he moved the cart closer to her.

"Drow do know how to work too, you know," said Shen, tossing potatoes into the cart. "Commoners anyway."

"I was unaware that your kind had noblemen. I always assumed that you were all common," Alfred stated, wanting to catch some information about the woman who now stayed in his home.

"There are noble families too," Shen said. "They run the cities quite well, when they aren't trying to kill each other off to gain a better rank."

"That's awful," Alfred said. He picked up his drinking water container, and handed it to Shen, after taking a drink himself.

"Thank you," The drow said. "I want to tell you, by the way, that I am grateful to you for letting me stay."

"Brenda and I are both glad to have you," the old farmer replied, "even if you and I did get off to a rough start."

"My wife tells me I was more than a little drunk that night," he continued, after a short pause. "I woke in the morning with the after effects to prove it too."

"I understand," Shen said with a small laugh. "I would have been more that a little shocked at finding a human in my home. No wonder you were surprised to meet up with a drow in yours."

Alfred laughed, "Is it even likely to see a human in the underdark."

"Sometimes," Shen told him. "It has happened from time to time. They would probably not be in one of our homes though."

"Hmmm," said Alfred. Say, Shen..."

"Yes."

"I recall that the night I came home, and chased you, you created some sort of spell that made it impossible to see anything..."

"A globe of darkness," Shen explained, taking a break and leaning the shovel. "It is one of the most simple, and basic drow spells. Most drow children can make tiny ones before they are seven years old. It is a good way of protecting yourself if you are under attack, or are fighting."

"Can you do it outside, with so much sunlight."

"Yes."

"Show me how it works," Alfred said, and Shen let the shovel fall to the ground.

She stood up straight, and let a small black ball form in her hands. Alfred reached out to touch it, and his hand disappeared into the ball.

"Huh," he said, "simply fascinating. Can you make it bigger."

Shen let the ball expand around both of them, until they were surrounded by the blackness of the ball. To Alfred's surprise, he could not see a thing above, below, or in front of him.

"Drow are naturally magical," Shen was saying, as the two of then walked into the house, a while later. "Every child is born with basic talent, and as we grow, we are taught to do more with it."

"I sometimes wish we had magic users around here," Alfred said. "Magic users don't tend to settle here. We do have the order of the paladins nearby but..."

"I'm glad to see you two getting along so well," Brenda interrupted, as she stirred soup on the stove. "Supper's almost ready. You going back out to the field later."

"Nope," Alfred answered. "I think I've done enough for today. Shen is a lot of help... for a woman that is."

It had been almost three weeks now, since that night that Alfred had come home, and Brenda was amazed at how well the two had hit it off int hat time. Her husband had started out very nervous in the presence of the drow, but soon he was treating her like the daughter he never had.

Alfred sat after supper, in his old wooden chair, polishing an antique steel longsword. He rubbed a polishing cloth over the smooth blade, as he looked at Shen, who sat on the floor by his feet. Her white hair hung loose over her shoulders, and he noticed again it's sharp contrast to her dark gray skin. He had to admit to himself that she was a beautiful young woman, and he felt sorry, knowing that on the surface she may likely never find a man to love her. He knew that she should, by all rights, be the wife of another drow, but he also knew that innocent, timid Shen was not the type who could be a drow's wife. He knew that she came from a world of female dominance over males. Did she even have the will to dominate a man. He put the blade on his lap and looked it over again, admiring it's workmanship.

"May I see that," Shen asked. Alfred, after a short hesitation, carefully handed the sword down to her and let her look it over.

"My father gave this to me," he explained. "His father was a weapon maker, and he made it, and passed it down. It was then passed down to me. It has long been one of my most treasured possessions. I wanted to pass it down to my older son, but he told me last year that he doesn't want such an old fashioned weapon. My younger son said the same when I planned to pass it down to him. He gave me a new sword three years ago, saying that I should learn to use that one, because it is newer and better."

"That's sad," Shen said, "this looks like a sword worth inheriting." She got to her feet, and slowly swung it in graceful arch over her head. She took some slow attack moves at the empty space in front of her. Alfred and Brenda watched her for a moment, surprised by her ability.

"Are you a fighter," Alfred asked.

"All drow females have some training as fighters," Shen told him. "Some specialize in it, and become a good as males. They then fight in the raids."

"What about you," Brenda asked.

"Not me," the young woman replied. "I trained some, but then I stopped. I was assigned to assist the clerics in the temple. That is until I ran away..."

Alfred led Shen outside, and Brenda fallowed out of curiosity. He found a couple of thick, straight branches on the ground beneath a tree, and tossed one to Shen.

"Come on," he challenged. "I'm not that old yet. I still have some fight left. You got what it takes to beat me. My sons can't." He laughed and took a few steps backward. Shen folded up the sleeves of her dress, and tried to tuck part of the skirt into the waistband, not wanting to risk a trip over the long dress.

Alfred took a swing at her, with his long stick, and Shen blocked his attack perfectly. She found the opportunity to attack him twice, while he planned out his next move. Her second swing knock the pole right from his hand. He scrambled to retrieve it, and swung at the young drow, who ducked to avoid another attack. Her pole soon tapped Alfred lightly on the shoulder, before he stuck her carefully in the arm. She spun around quickly at stuck him from behind, before he saw her move. Alfred attacked her again. This time hitting her in the backs of her knees, and knocking her to the ground. Shen landed on her knees, and brook her fall with one hand.

"You're very good," she gasped, winded for breath, as she stood up.

"My father was a weapon maker," Alfred said, blocking Shen's next attack. "I grew up around fighting weapons, and I mastered some of then when I was young." He swung at the young drow, and she swung back at him relentlessly, forcing him back several steps.

"You're pretty good yourself," he said. "For a woman, that is."

Shen, now determined to prove to him that she was just as good as any man, forced him several more steps backward. He turned it around and advanced on her, attacking so rapidly that all she could do was defend, as she stepped back, nearly falling over a tightly packed bundle of straw near a fence. She gracefully jumped onto the bundle, and found her chance for an attack. Alfred began to slow down, and soon he gave up the fight.

"Oh my," he said. "I am getting too old for this."

"Are you alright," Shen asked.

"Yes fine... fine. I just don't have the energy I used to," Alfred replied. "If I have this much trouble fighting one drow with a wooden stick, I would hate to be on the wrong end of a drow raid."

"My people have done some awful things in the name of glory, and power," Shen said. "I am saddened to have to admit to their deeds."

"Never feel guilty for things you were not a part of," Brenda said, as she stood up from her sitting place on the grass.

"I try to remember that it was never my fault," Shen answered sadly. "Yet, it is very hard sometimes to forget that I am still, after all, a drow."

"I doesn't matter who or what you are," said Brenda. "It only matters what you have done."

"I try always to believe that you are right, Brenda," Shen answered, then changed the subject. "Brenda, I finished making my dress. Also, could you teach me to make soup."

"Yes, I will teach you, and good job, finishing the dress."

"I want to know how to do it all, like you do."

"Well, it took me a while to learn all that."

"I know, but I still am going to keep..." Shen stopped speaking suddenly, letting the words die in the air. She stared straight ahead seeming to not see anything in front of her. Her head slowly tipped a tiny bit to one side, as though she was listening to something that the two humans could not hear. Her hands shook slightly, and she dropped her fighting stick to the ground.

"Shen," Brenda said, "what's wrong."

"They have found me," was all the young woman said, as she began to run for the farmhouse.

"Who," Alfred asked, as the two of them fallowed her inside. Shen was quickly tossing her few belongings into her bag.

"The drow," she told them quickly. "I can sense the closeness of my people to this house. They should be here by the morning."

"Shen, what are you doing," Brenda demanded. "If they will be around here, then the house is the safest place..."

"No," Shen said firmly. "This is not your problem. If I stay here, I could put the two of you in danger. I refuse to do that."

"Well, what are you..." Brenda began to ask.

"I am going to try to reason with them, after meeting up on the other side of the town. I will tell the cleric that will be leading the raiding party, that I am turning myself over to her. They should then see no reason to come after you two, and this town."

"What will happen to you then," Alfred found the nerve to ask.

"There is little doubt that she will kill me, as an offering to the goddess," Shen explained, with surprising calm acceptance. "I will be called a traitor to my people."

"She wouldn't," Brenda said in disbelief. "How could..."

"Shen," said Alfred, reaching out to take the bag off the girl, "you are not turning your life over like that. We are going to fight them off."

**Okay. I am going to leave this at a cliffhanger, but I will update soon. I hope you like this story. I am doing the best I can at it. By the way, some of you may have noticed that I have not been using question marks at the end of questions. I will tell you now that there is someone wrong with my keyboard, and that key doesn't work. I hope this will be fixed soon.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh my goodness, I have been away from this story for a long time. I am truly sorry about the long wait for an update. I was working on my other story, while suffering from writers block on this one. This will be the final chapter of this story, but be assured, I do have other ideas just begging to be written, for those who would like to read more of my work. Please read and review.**

Chapter six

Alfred found his old fighters armor in the cellar of the house, and put it on, after sharpening his weapons, and deciding to let Shen use his new sword. The one that he never used, favoring his old one.

Brenda had gone quickly on their horse, to alert the paladins nearby that a drow raiding party was headed toward the town.

"Shen," Alfred said as he sent the cows to the back pasture, behind the farm, up in the hills, "Any idea how many are headed for us."

"Forty, maybe fifty," Shen answered. She was now dressed in an old pair of Alfred's pants, which were tucked into her boots, and an old men's top. The sun had began to rise over the hills.

"Oh my God," Alfred said in disbelief. "You really think that many will come here to find one person."

"I sense that many of their presence nearby," She answered. "Maybe we should run."

"No," Alfred said. "I will not let anyone overthrow this farm. Besides, if we don't stay and fight, they will likely just keep chasing us."

Brenda came home, and climbed off the horse's back before tying the animal to the fence.

"The paladins are aware of the situation," she said. "I think that the man in charge over there blames Shen for this whole mess."

"Forget what he says," Alfred told her stubbornly. "None of it is her fault."

"So," Brenda asked. "What do we do now."

"We wait," Alfred told her, as Shen looked up, determination on her face.

The day passed slowly on the farm. Brenda, always practical one told her husband and her house guest to go to bed. She said that , having been up all night, they needed to sleep. Shen and Alfred looked at each other doubtfully, both unsure how a person could even hope to sleep with a battle close at hand. Nevertheless, both of them headed for their beds. Shen reasoned as she lay down, that her people must already be near enough to launch an attack, but would likely wait until sunset, because they would have trouble doing much in the bright sunlight. Shen pulled the blankets up over her head, and lay in bed for a while, almost ready to give up on the idea of sleeping.

Brenda's shriek of terror made her jump out of bed, and onto the floor, after nearly an hour. She picked up her weapon , which she had put by the bedroom door, and ran down the stairs. She found no one in the kitchen, and saw the back door open. Her sword ready in her hand, Shen walked outside to the garden.

The drow warrior looked straight at her, as she came around the side of the house. His arms held Brenda firmly, and she struggled futilely, trying to free herself from his firm grip. The male fighter eyed Shen with a triumphant, cocky look, and she took notice of the fact that the young man had not even bothered to draw a weapon. His sword was still safely strapped to his belt. She reasoned that he would not be able to reach for it now, without one arm letting go of Brenda. The drow looked right at Shen's weapon and still did not react. Shen took several steps toward him, hoping that he would let go of Brenda, to grab his sword. He just stared her down, and Brenda stood trembling in fear, still caught in his grasp. Shen advanced toward him, and suddenly, with lightening speed, he threw Brenda to the ground, and drew his weapon in a single motion. Shen, who had been anticipating, and even hoping for that move, was ready, and met his sword with hers. The weapons hit together in the air above their heads, before Shen had hers down in front of her, ready to deflect the next blow, which she knew he would make on her.

"We should have known that a strange one like you would side with surface dwellers," he said in fury, as he struggled to take her down.

"Oh, and our city sent _you_ to find me," Shen said. "I wish you all the luck in the world."

"I look forward to seeing you killed by our mother... dear sister," the warrior growled, as he tried to make a grab for her arms. "I have wanted for many long years to see you killed. You give the drow a bad name, with your... your... kindheartedness."

"It's just to bad you were ordered brought back alive," he went on as their blades met again. "I would have liked to kill you at this moment, Shen' Meshee, renegade priestess."

"You don't know what you are saying, brother" Shen said calmly, her weapon deflecting another blow.

"You interrupted something very important to me, by the way, sister," the fighter said, as Shen lowered her weapon to listen. "You see, myself and a few of my fellow fighters decided on the way up here, that it would be fun to catch a human woman to have some fun with. The farmers wife seemed like a good one to catch. We wanted to take her with us for a ways and torture her. You see, we would all be in major trouble for beating up a drow female, but some human would not be..."

"How could you even think of that," Shen roared as her sword made contact with her brothers head, while he was off his guard.

"You even lay one hand on her and you will be sorry," she went on, as he put his hand to his bleeding head.

"She's not worth anything in the world," the drow male said in a cocky voice. "She's just the wife of some farmer. She..." his speech was cut short when Shen's sword went though his chest. Behind Shen, Brenda, who had stayed where the drow had thrown her down, gasped in shock. She had not understood the words the two had spoken in their home language. She had only seen the two arguing, before Shen had killed one of her fellow drow. Brenda let Shen pull her to her feet, and she was quick to take the advice she gave her, to run for the house. Brenda did not know how to fight, and she knew that she would be safer inside.

"Where's Alfred," she asked Shen as she ran. Shen shook her head, unknowing, as the entire drow raiding party spilled onto the lawn. Brenda gasped in shock, at their sheer numbers, and knew that she could not just run away. She guessed that at least forty angry drow raiders had come, and her hands shook as she picked up the ax by the fence. Her eyes met those of the drow cleric who walked toward Shen, intending to sneak up on her from behind.

"Shen, Look out," she shouted. The young drow turned quickly, noticed the cleric, and swung at her with her sword. The cleric cast a globe of darkness over the two of them, and Shen crashed to the ground, after falling over the roots of a tree. The cleric laughed wickedly as she grabbed Shen, and began to drag her backwards toward the group of angry drow behind her. She was stopped suddenly, when Alfred's sword knocked her to the ground, dead before she hit the grass. Shen and Alfred turned then, and went to defending themselves against the advancing raiding party. Both made several swings with their swords and took out a few of the front members of the party. More kept coming however, and soon, Alfred found himself disarmed. His weapon had been knocked from his hands, by a furious drow fighter. She stared him down, her eyes full of flaming rage. Even in the bright sun, she had still managed to disarm an experienced swordsman. Alfred suddenly felt his mind fill with fear and doubt, as he bent to pick up his sword. The drow were moving away from him, and he wondered why. Unwilling to push his luck by perusing them, he went to find Brenda, who had wisely hidden behind a wheel barrow, the old ax in her hands, just in case she was found.

"Where's Shen," she asked, letting him pull her to her feet.

"That way," Alfred pointed toward the empty field behind them.

"Oh dear," he muttered, "where is she."

"Gone," Brenda said in panic rushing forward.

"Shen," Alfred called, running into the field, Brenda fallowing.

"Where did the drow go," she asked, fearing the worst.

"They all seem to have gone, as quickly as they came," Alfred answered. "I think they took Shen with them."

"They were gone as quickly as they came," Brenda said sadly. "I would have to agree that Shen was taken with them."

"Dead or alive, I am left to wonder," Alfred said next. Brenda of course, had not been able to understand the words that Shen had had with the drow male, before killing him. She therefore could not know of the raiders' orders to bring her back alive.

"I don't know what to do," she said. "I don't think we'll ever see her again."

"I can't believe how fast they came and went," Alfred answered sadly.

"I'm going to take a look around," Brenda told him. "Maybe I can track her down still."

"I'll go the other way," Alfred answered. "You're right to want to keep looking. We can't just give up on her."

Brenda began to run one way across the farm, while her husband went another. She ran passed the old oak tree, and remembered how Shen used to try to climb to the top of it. She hoped now beyond hope, that the young drow had made it up the tree. She doubted very much that most other drow would know how to climb up after her. Brenda saw and heard nothing in the tree though. She rushed over to the farm fence and stood in dismay and despair, seeing nothing.

"Brenda," she heard Alfred shout from across the farm. She began to run in the direction of his call. Nothing could have prepared her for what she would find.

Alfred had finally found Shen lying curled up in front of the fence, separating the backyard from the field. Brenda came over to find her still on the ground, blood covering her clothing. Her eyes were closed and Brenda could barely see the raise and fall of her chest as she breathed slowly.

"I wonder why they left her like this," she said to her husband.

"They may have thought that she was dead," Alfred answered, "or they just did what they could before they were driving off, and left her to die."

"Who drove them off?" Brenda asked. "I didn't see anyone come around here."

"I think, on second thought, that they may have simply retreated on their own," Alfred replied. He looked over Shen's body, and tried to find out where all the blood was coming from. He could see it continue to soak her shirt from what seemed to be an injury to her chest. Blood came from many other places to, and the farmer looked at his wife in helplessness.

"This is awful," Brenda said, shaking with panic and shock. "I don't think we can save her."

"We can't give up, Brenda," Alfred said. He looked again at Shen. She lay, still curled up on the grass. Her back was turned partly away from him, and her head faced mostly up to the sky. Her eyes were still squeezed tightly shut, and her hands were clenched in fists. She did not make even the smallest movement, or make a sound, even though she must have heard the two of them talking, and been aware of their presence.

"Shen," Brenda said, "please look at us." She fought back tears of fright and rage.

The young drow finally opened her eyes and looked up at the setting sun. Her eyes filled with sudden panic, as she realized for the first time that she was badly hurt. Her eyes struggled to focus on Brenda and Alfred.

"I... Don't think... I," she muttered only somewhat audibly. She tried to turn toward them, and Brenda carefully moved her into her back, her head still tilting partly upward.

"I... don't think I will... see another sunrise..." Shen said, sounding not sad at the thought of dying, but instead resigned to her fate. "I only wonder... what awaits a renegade drow in the next life."

"I'm sure great things await one like you," said Brenda, "but none of that matters, because you may well see another five hundred years here. Drow live a long time, and you are still a young one yet. I think that it will all work..."

"Please don't lie to me, Brenda," Shen said with sudden forcefulness. "I am not afraid to go to the next world. Why not simply acknowledge what we all must know?" She stared up at the clouds forming in the sky overhead. Her eyes remained open but Alfred and Brenda doubted that she really saw much.

"You better run you little good for nothing trouble makers," a voice said suddenly behind them, over the loud neigh of a horse. The farmer and his wife turned to see the white horse rearing up wildly, with the paladin, Aliemina Suresong holding the reigns tightly in one hand, while the other placed her longsword back into her weapon belt. She steadied the horse and jumped to the ground.

"The last few of the drow were just driven off by me, when I caught them looting your house," she said straightening her metal helmet. "Those awful elves are terribly opportunistic most of the time. I don't think the four of them found much of value that they were able to make off with." The paladin keeled on the ground beside Brenda and Alfred.

"Oh my god," she said out loud, looking at Shen, "this young one is certainly in trouble here."

"What can we do?" Brenda asked in desperation, looking up at Aliemina.

"We must get her inside," the paladin answered. She looked at Alfred, "can you carry her?"

Alfred gave a quick nod of agreement, and tried to slide his arms under Shen's body to lift her into his arms. The badly injured drow screeched in pain and terror, and Alfred gave up his efforts to move her for a moment, and looked down at her, certain that she did not know who he was.

"Shen," he said quietly.

"Huh..." the drow muttered. "I don't..."

"Okay," Alfred said in determination, "let us try again. I am going to take you inside."

"Wh... what? Where are we..." she muttered her voice barely audible. Alfred lifted her up into his arms, and she stayed where he put her, her head resting limp against his body, and her arms hanging down toward the ground. He reached the house and ran inside, putting Shen carefully down on the floor in the living room, near the fireplace, on some bedding that his wife had quickly thrown down there. He looked around in anger at the damage done to his house by drow raiders, before catching himself, and reminding himself not to worry about that right then. Aliemina and Brenda quickly began to pull off Shen's light armor, then her footwear. Brenda panicked momentarily at the blood that was showing on the drow's white hair.

Aliemina tried her best her create enough healing energy to heal the young drow's massive injuries, and gave up after several unsuccessful tries.

"I'm just not strong enough," she said in a tone filled with regret.

"It isn't your fault," Brenda said. "I just cannot believe the heartless blood lust of her people. It seems that they came to either kill her, or to bring her home to be killed."

"Awful indeed," the paladin agreed, her hands shaking.

Shen did not speak anymore. She just lay on the bedding, warmed by the heat from the fire. Brenda wrapped her in the blankets, and sat staring down at her. She recalled her life of wanting a daughter and how she had ended up with only two sons instead. She loved her boys of course, but had always wanted a girl to teach the role of a woman to. She had come to value Shen very much, as her honorary daughter.

Looking at her now, with her eyes closed, and her hands folded tightly together by her head, she was greatly saddened to know that all they could do would never be enough to save her. She stared down at the doomed young drow as the life left her body, and knew that she would be curtain to go to some place much better than the dark world in which she had grown to womanhood.

_Shen was buried the next morning beneath the oak tree in the back yard behind the farmhouse wearing Brenda's old dress, and her blue robes, which Brenda had turned into an autumn traveling cloak a week before as the surprise for her, but had never had the chance to give her. _

_The drow raiders must have been satisfied that their job had been done well enough, because the family, and the village were never again bothered. The elderly Swiftfoot couple was sure that Shen would have been pleased to know that her death had saved many of the surface dwellers, that she could never bring herself to hate, as her forsaken people did. _

**Well there you have it. The end. And a sad end it was too. I hope everyone enjoyed reading this piece. For all those who reviewed, my sincerest of thanks for the input. **


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